This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. Midnight in Paris is Allen's charming reverie about just that quality, with a screenwriter hero named Gil (Owen Wilson) who strolls the lanes of Paris with his head in the clouds and walks right into his own best fantasy. Sure enough, a midnight encounter draws him into the jazzy world of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Picasso and Dali, and an intense Ernest Hemingway, who promises to bring Gil's manuscript to Gertrude Stein for review. Gil wakes up every morning back in the real world, but returning to his enchanted Paris proves fairly easy. The question is, does he want to come back.

Remember the saying that things were better in the â€œgood old daysâ€? Well, thatâ€™s the premise of this film. Of course, it also begs the question, what did people in the â€œgood old daysâ€ long for? This film is one of Allenâ€™s best works, well, since the good old days of Allenâ€™s film making career. Wilson plays his part perfectly as a dreamer that just does not fit into his present state of being. Meeting characters from the past really makes one think about the direction ones life is heading and what one can do to change their own course. How refreshing to review a film that makes you ponder your life! Perhaps there is no better time than the present, afterall.

Technical

Purposefully shot by Allen to have a nostalgic feel, the film palette was tuned to burnished golds and earth tones. Some of the details were blurred in the street scenes at night, with the dark shadows taking on a fuzzy dark grey quality. As in all Allen films, the sound is dialog driven with few effects for the surrounds and sub. My sub only came to life 2-3 times during the entire movie, but, thatâ€™s the type of film this is, and not a dig on the overall sound engineering. Dialog was always clear and centered on the screen. On the plus side, this film definitely makes me want to experience Paris by night.

Extras

Midnight in Cannes, with interviews from Woody, Owen and Brody. Also a Photo Gallery.